as in brave
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament
the courageous decision to quit rather than obey an illegal order
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Recent Examples of courageous
When somebody like Will Smith is courageous enough to be vulnerable and to immerse himself in, for my episode, Antarctica, the audience is able to see themselves through Will.
—
Abigail Wise, Outside, 3 Jan. 2026
Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a courageous first-down scramble late in the first half, and the Hoosiers methodically drove for Mendoza’s 1-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to Cooper, the hero of Indiana’s dramatic victory over Penn State.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Newcomer Catherine Lagaʻaia steps into the sandals of Moana, the courageous young girl who answers the Ocean’s call.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
Still, the redesign of the entire property was quite the courageous endeavor.
—Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for courageous
Abigail Wise, Outside, 3 Jan. 2026
Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a courageous first-down scramble late in the first half, and the Hoosiers methodically drove for Mendoza’s 1-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to Cooper, the hero of Indiana’s dramatic victory over Penn State.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Newcomer Catherine Lagaʻaia steps into the sandals of Moana, the courageous young girl who answers the Ocean’s call.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
Still, the redesign of the entire property was quite the courageous endeavor.
—Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for courageous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courageous
Adjective
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Those specifics aside, more stunningly, researchers discovered that these brave, early explorers of new worlds demonstrated a different way of moving than had been previously understood.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
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If Tulsa, Oklahoma, can create this support system from scratch and help thousands of strangers succeed in a new town, any organization can adapt to support their employees in our brave, new remote world.—
Justin Harlan,
Fortune,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The new mayor is best served by a fearless watchdog making sure that the public’s interests are protected from thievery and graft, which is sure to happen.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
11 Jan. 2026
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The comedian, known for her razor-sharp wit and fearless approach to comedy, made waves with her hosting debut in 2025, earning critical acclaim for her performance.—
Jenzia Burgos,
StyleCaster,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But the Thunder, as small as can be without injured centers Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams and Holmgren, pieced together a valiant comeback behind the efforts of eight-year veteran forward Kenrich Williams.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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Knicks fans booed their valiant, heroic, oftentimes teflon team when the Hawks’ lead ballooned to 29 points midway through the third quarter.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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For his battle-worn, brooding rendition of the heroic outlaw in the A24 film, the Les Misérables actor shows off a long gray beard paired with silver locks—a far cry from other Robin Hoods portrayed by actors like Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Russell Crowe.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
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Her father grew up in Vichy France and was obsessed with her long-dead grandfather, Georges, a Belgian Jew with a heroic and tragic life that became a family myth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Christ pulls him out of a tiny hole, like a gallant medieval knight rescuing a maiden in distress.—
Mary Dzon,
The Conversation,
12 Dec. 2025
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And yet, welcoming that idea can shock the system because our popular conception of the American Revolution is so often encased in bloodless, gallant myth.—
Sarah Botstein,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Fran Drescher channeled Fran Fine for her bold and beautiful glam at the 2026 Golden Globes.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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This simple taupe geometric style peel-and-stick wallpaper is affordable, easy to apply, and looks gorgeous without being too bold or loud.—
Brittney Morgan,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Courageous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courageous. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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